NBA and AWS team up to bring AI-powered stats to basketball fans
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Prime Video will be the exclusive streaming service for 66 regular-season NBA games beginning in 2025, including the Emirates NBA cup and the NBA Playoffs, as well as regular and postseason WNBA games beginning in 2026.
As part of the agreement, AWS becomes the official cloud and cloud AI partner of the NBA and its affiliate leagues, including the WNBA, NBA G League, Basketball Africa League, and NBA Take-Two Media.
“Partnering with AWS provides us with an opportunity to elevate the live game experience through innovation and offer fans a deeper understanding of the game of basketball for years to come,” said Ken DeGennaro, NBA executive vice president and Head of Media Operations and Technology. “AWS has a proven track record of delivering unique statistical insights and offering transformative experiences that will resonate with NBA fans around the world.”
"At AWS, we’re excited by the NBA’s vision to push the boundaries of what’s possible in sports," said Francessca Vasquez, vice president of Professional Services & Agentic AI at AWS. "This partnership will showcase how cloud and AI can reimagine the game of basketball—from generating new insights to creating experiences that bring fans closer to the game they love.”
The NBA will leverage AWS's AI capabilities to provide fans with live stats and comprehensive analytics during games. This advanced statistics platform processes the league’s player tracking data, analyzing the movements of 29 body parts to contextualize in-game developments and generate real-time insights.
Fans can access these statistics via the NBA App, NBA.com, and during live NBA games, including during NBA on Prime broadcasts. Fans will get an even deeper appreciation for precisely how well the top players perform, and how their performance reshapes the entire flow of a game.
NBA on Prime's inaugural season tips off with a doubleheader: Boston Celtics vs. New York Knicks; Los Angeles Lakers vs. Minnesota Timberwolves.
Defensive Box Score: Reimagining basketball's fundamental metric
Defensive Box Score quantifies individual defensive contributions that traditional statistics miss. AI algorithms track which defender is responsible for each offensive player in real-time. This enhances the traditional box score by identifying the primary defender when each stat is recorded. Fans can also see metrics like ball pressure, double teams, and defensive switches.
Shot Difficulty: The science of shooting
Shot Difficulty goes beyond traditional make-or-miss statistics to evaluate every aspect of each shot attempt. The difficulty of attempted shots will be quantified with new stats such as Expected Field Goal % which accounts for various factors such as the shooter's orientation and setup, court positioning, and defensive contest details related to pressure, interference, and positioning. This statistic gives fans a deeper appreciation for the skill and strategy behind every scoring attempt.
Gravity: Quantifying the invisible impact
Gravity showcases what coaches and analysts have observed for years—how certain players create advantages for teammates simply by being on the court, even without touching the ball. This stat measures the level of attention a player receives from the defense, including how closely they're guarded with or without the ball, to quantify the space they create for teammates. This system processes optical tracking data 60 times per second, using neural networks to analyze how defenders react to specific players, while factoring in game context and historical data.
NFL on Prime coverage includes returning innovations and new features that explain crucial late-game scenarios and strategies for both teams, as well as "Pocket Health."
Transforming basketball intelligence
Play Finder will help fans and broadcasters identify common offensive strategies by combining play outcomes with advanced analytics. A real-time alert system will allow commentators to provide historical context and strategic insights during broadcasts, making games more engaging and educational for viewers. NBA teams will also leverage Play Finder capabilities throughout the season to improve their front office and coaching workflows and enhance their abilities to analyze film.
Future iterations of Play Finder will allow fans to explore basketball strategy with unprecedented depth on the NBA App. This technology lays the foundation for future generative AI integrations built on player tracking data, moving beyond technical capabilities to deliver tangible insights fans can use to deepen their understanding of the game.
Global fan engagement